The Detroit Tigers manager, a longtime minor league player and coach before Tony La Russa hired him as a major league coach in 1982, got a chance to pay it forward by hiring Knapp, who spent five years as a minor league pitcher and 21 as a coach in the minors.

Knapp is getting quality results in his first season as the Tigers pitching coach. Detroit was ranked 12th in the American League last year with a 4.91 ERA but is third in the league with a 4.16 ERA heading into tonight's game with the Texas Rangers.

He has helped rookie Rick Porcello develop a quality curveball, streamlined Justin Verlander's delivery and slowed reliever Bobby Seay's delivery to provide consistency. And he has been there for every pitcher whenever they need him.

Everyone in the manager's office chuckled, but Leyland didn't want to leave the wrong impression, lowering his voice and adding, "He's pretty good. He can fix guys. He's been tremendous, just tremendous. He knows what he's doing.

"And when guys are in the minor leagues 10, 12, 14, 15 years, you know they like baseball. They travel in buses and don't make much money."

How much does Knapp love baseball?

He has a pitching mound and a batting cage for his son, Ricky, near their home in Port Charlotte, Fla.

Knapp, 47, is experiencing his first year in the majors at a point in life where he is closer to retirement than his playing career.

He isn't wasting the chance, putting in long hours and providing an example of dedication that rubs off on his pitchers.

"He's a really hard worker," Tigers pitcher Zach Miner said. "He likes being down there in the bullpen helping guys. And he takes time to figure out how we're all doing.

"Everybody agrees he's doing a good job. He gets us prepared, and then it's up to us to go do the job."

Miner added that Knapp is flexible in working with pitchers, taking their approach into account and never trying to make wholesale changes.

"The key is making us comfortable in our deliveries," Miner said.

He got Verlander to drop his arm slot a bit and land softer on his front foot with a bent knee. It was a minor tune-up that helped make Verlander more fluid, and he once again is looking like an All-Star after faltering in 2008.

Seay said he has a smoother delivery that has led to a turnaround season.

"Knappy has been a great help to me," said Porcello, also crediting bullpen coach Jeff Jones. "They help me out every bullpen session, and I'm learning more and more. Jonesy and Knappy have been huge in getting me on track."

When the compliments of his manager and pitchers are relayed, Knapp literally waved off the comments.

"Talk to me in October, and I'll know if I've made an impact," Knapp said. "But our starters are doing a wonderful job now.

"My head's always buried in what we are doing. And my job's getting them to trust their stuff because they have tremendous stuff."

Attacking the strike zone and cutting down on walks is all part of a pitcher trusting his stuff. Make the hitter try to hit your pitch. Don't nibble and get behind in the count. All those thoughts and theories go hand-in-hand.

After pitching coach Chuck Hernandez was let go following the 2008 season, Knapp caught the attention of Tigers general manager Dave Dombrowski and Leyland for his work in 12 seasons as the minor league pitching coordinator for the Minnesota Twins.

"He's definitely a great coach," Baker said. "He is really big on getting you to repeat your delivery, and helped us all get to the big leagues. He's a big mechanics guy, and often showed us video of when we were going good as compared to when we struggled.

"And what we all liked was that he let us keep our individuality."

Ryan Perry, a hard-throwing rookie reliever, talked about an adjustment Knapp is working on with him.

"We're working on getting my hands out of my glove earlier so I am not dragging my arm in my delivery," Perry said. "I'm getting results with that adjustment.

"We watch a lot of video, and he will break down my mechanics and go over hitters. It helps to break things down. And he helps me every time he has the opportunity."

Starter Edwin Jackson, whose walks have never been lower (11 in 52 innings), said Knapp constantly monitors even the smallest details.

"If I get off track," Jackson said, "he gets me back on track right away. He lets you do what you are doing, but has suggestions along the way."

Armando Galarraga is working with Knapp on getting his delivery in line and not "flying open" when he pitches.

"The reason Rick Knapp is so good is because he loves pitching and baseball and helping people," Galarraga said. "He is a guy who likes to work."